Criminal Duty Counsel

If you have been charged with a criminal offence, and you have a court date but you don’t have a lawyer, criminal duty counsel may be able to assist you. In criminal cases, duty counsel advise people about the charge(s) against them and provide information about basic court procedure. You must be financially eligible for some types of duty counsel assistance.

Criminal duty counsel are lawyers who can:

give advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process

provide assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing

assist with diversion, guilty pleas and adjournments

Criminal duty counsel may also provide assistance in specialized courts such as mental health, drug treatment, domestic violence and Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court. Duty counsel can also assist youth (a person who is under 18) who have been charged with a criminal offence.